So far, here's the only thing that the people of Kansas City can say the Funkhouser administration is good at: Posing.
Yet again, the Star is dedicating even more ink (and countless trees) to the notion that Mayor-elect Mark Funkhouser is "an ordinary guy."
It's classic PR and it's pretty pointless . . . If you want a positive take on the subject, Gone Mild seems to buy the puff piece but I'm gonna remain skeptical.
So KC's top politico doesn't like the car that Mayor Kay leased for him: So-freaking-what????? Sadly, it's pretty much the highlight of the Star's editorial coverage today.
Mayor-elect Mark Funkhouser (right) plans to keep driving his 1997 Toyota Corolla. The car sat outside Funkhouser's West Side campaign headquarters Tuesday as he and Ed Wolf, his choice for chief of staff, left for a meeting.Actually, I think the more newsworthy decision is that Funkhouser is forgoing bodyguards for the moment. If anything that's the more "common man" aspect of the article but it also seems reckless and yet another indication that Funkhouser doesn't really understand the true character of Kansas City. Sure . . . All of that "regular people" garbage is fine for carousing the many liberal coffeehouses and art galleries of the 4th District but lets see him strike the same stance on The Eastside or in South KC where there are plenty of pissed off people just waiting to get in the face of the first politico they see . . . Yeah, unless Funkhouser is planning on forging these Districts all together (which IS an option and pretty much what Mayor Kay did) then I'd feel a lot better with him using the City services for the purpose for which they're alloted rather than using yet another opportunity to play politics.
This kind of feel good propaganda seems to be the only thing that Funkhouser administration is effective at pulling off (nullus) . . . As he is about to take office, Funkhouser had the opportunity to speak up for the folks on Red Bridge Road or raise concern about even more tax abatement for Zona Rosa . . . Yet he cleverly avoided those issues and instead seemingly puts all of his efforts into the very same self-aggrandizement that fooled a very slim 850 vote majority who put him in power.
All wrong again Tony.
ReplyDeleteCutting costs at every possible place is what I want the Mayor to do. It's more than a gesture. It's part of why the Funk is going work wonders for this city.
And you are not skeptical, you're cynical. There's a difference and part of it is because most of your observations are unwarranted.
Tony-
ReplyDeleteYou're funny. If Funk had taken the car or the bodyguards, you'd be the first to cry that he's wasting taxpayers' money.
Dude-THE GUY ISN'T EVEN IN OFFICE YET. Cut him some slack.
Unless his wife has cast some spell of invulnerability over him, ditching security is just kooky. Skip out on the car if you want, but for God's sake, have someone there to protect you. It's not like KC mayor's haven't been attacked before.
ReplyDeleteBeing in touch with the people wins votes, but even the ogre Kathryn Shields got one point exactly right:
ReplyDeleteThe mayor could save a lot of time by meeting with staffers or making calls during his drive time. If the Funk travels across town and back, he's wasted an hour-plus behind the wheel.
Same rationale applies to his bodyguards/security. If he's leaving an evening meeting (in ANY part of town) I'd rather not see him hit over the head walking to his POS car.
He needs a car AND a guard. Too bad he chooses to learn the hard way. He was OFFERED a hybrid, but refused it, too. He is carrying his "hick" act too far.
ReplyDeleteYou would be the first to bitch if he had accepted the car.
ReplyDeleteHad my new XTS with the w-20 limo package for three weeks now. No other vehicle listed can touch in for the COMBINATION of price, style and passenger comfort. Yes the trunk is smaller than the Lincoln Town Car, but the Town Car is discontinued so it's dead. Still have one and I love it, but the XTS is getting more $ per hour on charters an the w-20 package put this $50k car in a class by itself.
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